Sunday, 13 November 2016

Well it is that time of year again and this is to be my third consecutive year undertaking the New Forest winter Hen Harrier survey. I was asked some time back by the county recorder if I would be happy to get involved with these surveys and being such an important survey and at such a beautiful part of the county it wasn't a tough decison to make.

First sighting for myself for the season involved a Ringtail bird coming in over a ridge just prior to dusk, "good", thats a good start. This was on Forest but not at my own site survey location + 18+ Ring Ouzels present.

Second sighting, again on forest - but this time an adult male coming in to view through the valley before being seen going to roost + 2-3 Merlin present.

Then a visit to Dorset which resulted in a blank, a couple of Marsh Harriers and a male Merlin.Another visit to the forest was disapointing with low flying helicopter over the roost site of which did not produce any birds that day but the Great Grey Shrike remained in the distance.

The second visit to a second site in Dorset proved very worth while with 3-4 Hen Harriers, an adult male, a second cy male and two Ringtails, of which three were seen going to roost-"beautiful"!+ 2 Marsh Harriers.

The third visit to Dorset resulted in an adult male and a Ringtail which I observed going to roost + a single Marsh Harrier, so the season of 2016/2017 has started well and I just hope it continues or improves with even more birds / sightings.